Is the bedside manner important in modern medicine?
The intelligent looking lady to my left said, "I saw Dr. Smith because of his reputation as a brilliant neurosurgeon. He may be God's gift, but his bedside manner is horrible. I wouldn't let him operate on my goldfish."

Effingham County briefs
Reservations are available for swimming lessons offered in two-week sessions at the New Ebenezer Retreat Center beginning May 28.

Technology improves government planning, services
The hardest part of playing Sim City on your computer is watching a flood or hurricane wipe out all the development you've spent hours creating, the power lines you've strung up and the fancy stadium you raised taxes to build.

What a mom wants
If you've been in the vicinity of a mall in the past two months, you've probably seen all the little signs reminding us that May 13 is Mother's Day, subliminally telling us that we should be ashamed of ourselves if we don't buy the woman who birthed us a fancy piece of jewelry or a big bouquet of flowers.

Community calendar
Jeb Stewart Newton, a son of a Confederate veteran, will speak at 7:30 p.m. May 9 at The Mulberry Inn, Trustees Room A. Topic: 'The Mystery General.'

Calendar for Bryan, Liberty counties
Pembroke will have a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. today at City Hall, 160 North Main St. Residents are invited to discuss Pembroke's future. A light meal will be served.

Officer of the week: Georgia Hill
She responded to a call for a burglary. "When I got there, I drove around a pickup truck next to the house. A scruffy-looking fella with an arm full of stereo equipment was coming out the back door. He didn't look like the suit-and-tie type.

Government calendar
A Coastal Workforce Services Youth Council meeting begins at 8:45 a.m. at the Richmond Hill Holiday Inn. Claudia Cronin is the featured speaker.

Hitting the target with new center
They start off at the three-yard line, moving back to the seven, the 15, the 25 and rarely the 50. But they're not playing a game. These people in uniform are planning for the possibility that they might someday have to defend their lives, or someone else's.

City to honor Pelote
The City of Savannah will honor State Rep. Dorothy Pelote, D-Savannah, Wednesday for her efforts to improve the quality of life in the community.

Community calendar
The Savannah Symphony Civic Orchestra will perform at 7 p.m. at the Jewish Educational Alliance, 5111 Abercorn St. Features Dukas' 'La Peri,' Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture, music from 'Sound of Music' and more.

Weyerhaeuser boosts offer to Willamette shareholders
Weyerhaeuser Co. increased its offer to buy rival Willamette from $48 per share to $50 per share, but warned that shareholders risk losing value by delaying the attempted merger between the wood products companies.

Briefly
Girl Scout Council of Savannah Is sponsoring a Golf benefit May 18 at The Club at Savannah Harbor.

Legislators to hear guardsmen's complaints
Members of the Georgia National Guard who feel they have been treated badly, such as Senior Airman George Skye Williams, will get a chance to speak next month when the Legislative Black Caucus holds a hearing in Savannah.

Letters to the editor
President Bush has called for expanding the use of faith-based neighborhood outreach programs to reach the needy in our communities.

Editorial: Treating gas pains
BUSINESSES REASONABLY expect customers to pay their bills on time, just as customers reasonably expect companies to fix billing errors and keep correct payment records. When either side fails to live up to those expectations, there's a problem.

Letters to the editor
The phrase "prime the pump" means get money into the economy fast. Does it amaze us that the tax reduction plan completely disregards the quickest way to prime the pump?

Editorial: Zell will follow conscience
ZELL MILLER doesn't always do the expected. Although he originally decided to seek only one term as governor, he changed his mind after the first election, seeking and winning a second term in that office.

AASU Men Fall Short at South Regional
The Armstrong Atlantic State men's tennis team fell short in its bid to reach the NCAA Division II Championships on Sunday, losing to Ouachita Baptist 5-4 in the finals of the South Regional.

Georgia extends streak to 10
Georgia extended its winning streak to 10 games when David Coffey broke a tie with a two-out run-scoring single in the eighth inning for a 7-6 victory over Vanderbilt on Sunday.